Report to the ... Zionist Congress and to the Council of the Jewish Agency in ... · 1935-08-01 · 8.1935 · p. Seite 24

them for examination by the Congress Court, to carry out the calculations necessary for the World Election List, and to represent the Executive at the proceedings of the Court. The elections to the 18th Congress took place in thirty-seven constituencies comprising fifty countries. In four districts the mandates were assigned without voting, and in the remaining thirty-three districts there were elections in which 535,113 took part. (16th Congress, 200,010; 17th Congress, 233,730 voters.) Altogether 306 delegates were elected by voting. Another 13 mandates were assigned on the basis of surplus votes among the candidates of five parties. The usual preparations were made in good time for the election of the delegates to the 19th Congress. The formation and functioning of the Central Election Commissions met with internal difficulties in several countries (Bulgaria, West Galicia, Greece, Lituania, Austria and Rumania). In some countries election commissioners were appointed. Owing to the complaints received from West Galicia the Chairman of the Court of Honour, Dr. Rufeisen, was delegated to make an enquiry there. In two countries (United States and Canada) an earlier date was fixed for the Shekel settlement and the elections, with the approval of the Executive. But rather late dates were fixed for the elections in the other countries, which makes it difficult for the scrutinising machinery to work smoothly. The new instruction adopted by the General Council, which makes election as a delegate dependent upon fulfilment of one's duty to the Keren Hayesod, was communicated to the constituent Zionist bodies and the election authorities. Dr. Leo Lauterbach was appointed as Commissioner for the World Election lists. B.—Preparation of Zionist Conferences. (a) General Council, 1934 and 1935.—The General Council, in addition to the meetings held immediately after the 18th Congress, also held two ordinary meetings, both of which took place in Jerusalem and were distinguished both by the wealth of material dealt with and the high level of the discussions. Informal and informative meetings of members of the General Council, at which members of the Executive were present, also took place in Palestine as well as (in January, 1934) in London and Cracow. The technical preparation and convening of the meeting was carried out as usual by the Organisation Department. The recording of the Minutes and the publication of the resolutions were carried out by the Information Department of the Executive in Jerusalem. (b) Congress.—In pursuance of a decision in the General Council, and after carefully considering all the relevant circumstances of a political, economic and technical character, Lucerne was chosen as the place for the 19th Congress. The Congress Bureau, under the direction of Dr. Franz Kahn and Dr. Fritz Ullmann, was opened in Lucerne in the middle of June, 1935. 24